Hygienic manifold for a flow meter

Abstract

A manifold ( 100 ) of a flowmeter ( 5 ) includes a body ( 120 ) having a first face ( 104 ) with a first orifice ( 108 ) and a second orifice ( 110 ) and an opposing second face ( 204 ) with a third orifice ( 114 ) and a fourth orifice ( 116 ), wherein the first orifice ( 108 ) and third orifice ( 114 ) each extend into the body ( 120 ) and meet to define a first flow path ( 170 ) traversing the body ( 120 ), and wherein the second orifice ( 110 ) and fourth orifice ( 116 ) each extend into the body ( 120 ) and meet to define a second flow path ( 180 ) traversing the body ( 120 ), wherein the third orifice ( 114 ) and fourth orifice ( 116 ) are each adapted to fluidly communicate with a first and second flow tube ( 13, 13′ ) of the flowmeter ( 5 ), respectively; and a non-circular bifurcated flow opening ( 112 ), said non-circular bifurcated flow opening ( 112 ) including a non-circular wall portion ( 106, 106′ ) projecting from said first face ( 104 ) and surrounding the first orifice ( 108 ) and second orifice ( 110 ), wherein said non-circular wall portion ( 106, 106′ ) is configured to change a cross section of a fluid flow path exiting said first orifice ( 108 ) and said second orifice ( 110 ).

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A manifold ( 100 ) of a flowmeter ( 5 ), comprising:
 a body ( 120 ) having a first face ( 104 ) with a first orifice ( 108 ) and a second orifice ( 110 ) and an opposing second face ( 204 ) with a third orifice ( 114 ) and a fourth orifice ( 116 ), wherein the first orifice ( 108 ) and third orifice ( 114 ) each extend into the body ( 120 ) and meet to define a first flow path ( 170 ) traversing the body ( 120 ), and wherein the second orifice ( 110 ) and fourth orifice ( 116 ) each extend into the body ( 120 ) and meet to define a second flow path ( 180 ) traversing the body ( 120 ), wherein the third orifice ( 114 ) and fourth orifice ( 116 ) are each adapted to fluidly communicate with a first and second flow tube ( 13 ,  13 ′) of the flowmeter ( 5 ), respectively; and 
 a non-circular bifurcated flow opening ( 112 ), said non-circular bifurcated flow opening ( 112 ) including a non-circular wall portion ( 106 ,  106 ′) projecting from said first face ( 104 ) and surrounding the first orifice ( 108 ) and second orifice ( 110 ), wherein said non-circular wall portion ( 106 ,  106 ′) is configured to change a cross section of a fluid flow path exiting said first orifice ( 108 ) and said second orifice ( 110 ). 
 
     
     
       2. The manifold ( 100 ) of  claim 1 , wherein the wall portion ( 106 ) has an oval cross section. 
     
     
       3. The manifold ( 100 ) of  claim 1 , wherein the wall portion ( 106 ′) has an elongated oval cross section with a constricted peripheral portion ( 190 ). 
     
     
       4. The manifold ( 100 ) of  claim 1 , further comprising an adapter element ( 160 ), wherein said adapter element includes a non-circular connection face ( 162 ) and an oppositely disposed flow-through opening ( 164 ), wherein said connection face ( 162 ) is configured to be concentrically attached to wall portion ( 106 ,  106 ′). 
     
     
       5. A manifold ( 100 ) of a flowmeter ( 5 ), comprising:
 a body ( 120 ) having a first face ( 104 ) with a first orifice ( 108 ) and a second orifice ( 110 ) and an opposing second face ( 204 ) with a third orifice ( 114 ) and a fourth orifice ( 116 ), wherein the first orifice ( 108 ) and third orifice ( 114 ) each extend into the body ( 120 ) and meet to define a first flow path ( 170 ) traversing the body ( 120 ), and wherein the second orifice ( 110 ) and fourth orifice ( 116 ) each extend into the body ( 120 ) and meet to define a second flow path ( 180 ) traversing the body ( 120 ), wherein the third orifice ( 114 ) and fourth orifice ( 116 ) are each adapted to fluidly communicate with a first and second flow tube ( 13 ,  13 ′) of the flowmeter ( 5 ), respectively; 
 a non-circular bifurcated flow opening ( 112 ), said non-circular bifurcated flow opening ( 112 ) including a non-circular wall portion ( 106 ,  106 ′) projecting from said first face ( 104 ) and surrounding the first orifice ( 108 ) and second orifice ( 110 ), wherein said non-circular wall portion ( 106 ,  106 ′) is configured to change a cross section of a fluid flow path exiting said first orifice ( 108 ) and said second orifice ( 110 ); and 
 an adapter element ( 160 ), wherein said adapter element includes a non-circular connection face ( 162 ) and an oppositely disposed flow-through opening ( 164 ), wherein said connection face ( 162 ) is configured to be concentrically attached to wall portion ( 106 ,  106 ′). 
 
     
     
       6. The manifold ( 100 ) of  claim 5 , wherein, wherein the wall portion ( 106 ) has an oval cross section. 
     
     
       7. The manifold ( 100 ) of  claim 5 , wherein the wall portion ( 106 ′) has an elongated oval cross section with a constricted peripheral portion ( 190 ). 
     
     
       8. A manifold ( 100 ) of a flowmeter ( 5 ), comprising:
 a body ( 120 ) having a first face ( 104 ) with a first orifice ( 108 ) and a second orifice ( 110 ) and an opposing second face ( 204 ) with a third orifice ( 114 ) and a fourth orifice ( 116 ), wherein the first orifice ( 108 ) and third orifice ( 114 ) each extend into the body ( 120 ) and meet to define a first flow path ( 170 ) traversing the body ( 120 ), and wherein the second orifice ( 110 ) and fourth orifice ( 116 ) each extend into the body ( 120 ) and meet to define a second flow path ( 180 ) traversing the body ( 120 ), wherein the third orifice ( 114 ) and fourth orifice ( 116 ) are each adapted to fluidly communicate with a first and second flow tube ( 13 ,  13 ′) of the flowmeter ( 5 ), respectively; and 
 a bifurcated flow opening ( 112 ), said bifurcated flow opening ( 112 ) including a wall portion ( 106 ′) projecting from said first face ( 104 ) and surrounding the first orifice ( 108 ) and second orifice ( 110 ), wherein said wall portion ( 106 ′) has an elongated oval shape with a constricted peripheral portion ( 190 ), and wherein said wall portion ( 106 ′) is configured to change a cross section of a fluid flow path exiting said first orifice ( 108 ) and said second orifice ( 110 ). 
 
     
     
       9. The manifold ( 100 ) of  claim 8 , further comprising an adapter element ( 160 ′), wherein said adapter element ( 160 ′) includes a connection face ( 162 ′) having an elongated oval shape with a peripheral constricted region ( 300 ) and an oppositely disposed flow-through opening ( 164 ′), wherein said connection face ( 160 ′) is configured to be concentrically attached to wall portion ( 106 ′). 
     
     
       10. The manifold of  claim 3 , the constricted peripheral portion ( 190 ) being a constriction on both an interior and an exterior of the wall portion ( 106 ). 
     
     
       11. The manifold of  claim 7 , the constricted peripheral portion ( 190 ) being a constriction on both an interior and an exterior of the wall portion ( 106 ′). 
     
     
       12. The manifold of  claim 8 , the constricted peripheral portion ( 190 ) being a constriction on both an interior and an exterior of the wall portion ( 106 ′). 
     
     
       13. The manifold of  claim 4 , wherein the non-circular connection face ( 162 ) has at least one point with an internal cross section and an external cross section, both of the internal cross section and external cross section having a peripheral constricted region, wherein the oppositely disposed flow-through opening ( 164 ) has a circular cross section. 
     
     
       14. The manifold of  claim 5 , wherein the non-circular connection face ( 162 ) has at least one point with an internal cross section and an external cross section, both of the internal cross section and external cross section having a peripheral constricted region, wherein the oppositely disposed flow-through opening ( 164 ) has a circular cross section. 
     
     
       15. The manifold of  claim 9 , wherein the connection face ( 162 ′) has at least one point with an internal cross section and an external cross section, both of the internal cross section and external cross section having a peripheral constricted region, wherein the oppositely disposed flow-through opening ( 164 ′) has a circular cross section. 
     
     
       16. The manifold of  claim 4 , wherein a magnitude of a cross-sectional area of an opening of the non-circular connection face ( 162 ) is greater than, but less than double, a magnitude of a cross-sectional area of the oppositely disposed flow-through opening ( 164 ). 
     
     
       17. The manifold of  claim 5 , wherein a magnitude of a cross-sectional area of an opening of the non-circular connection face ( 162 ) is greater than, but less than double, a magnitude of a cross-sectional area of the oppositely disposed flow-through opening ( 164 ). 
     
     
       18. The manifold of  claim 9 , wherein a magnitude of a cross-sectional area of an opening of the connection face ( 162 ′) is greater than, but less than double, a magnitude of a cross-sectional area of the oppositely disposed flow-through opening ( 164 ′).